A Life So Changed
by Artemis Chick
Summary: Chae Kyung's thoughts on being a princess.


**I can't believe they have a category for "Goong" (Princess Hours). This is so cute! That's why I decided to write a one-shot for this. I'll make it sound like Chae Kyung (Janelle in the Filipino-dubbed version) wrote it, so sorry if it might come out as OOC. **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine. "Goong" is licensed under MBC (Munwha Brodcasting Corporation). Just borrowing the characters for this one-shot. **

**A Life So Changed**

Every girl dreamed at one point of becoming a princess, of meeting her Prince Charming someday and living happily ever after. That was my dream before. But I never expected that this forgotten dream would come true--literally. My grandpa worked before in the royal palace and made a pact with the late king to have their grandchildren engaged to each other, which was the king's reward for him because my grandpa saved his life. And now, that engagement was fulfilled. I got married to the Crown Prince and became a princess. In short, my life changed and became an overnight celebrity.

How does it feel like to be a Crown Princess, to be married to the Crown Prince? Up to now, I still can't describe it. Everything happened so fast that I couldn't even stop and think about how I felt. People started to treat me differently when I was plunged into the limelight. Some hated me, while others adored me and looked up to me, which was flattering. It's like the whole world suddenly revolved around me the moment the public knew about my secret engagement with the Prince. Who would have thought that an ordinary girl like me would become a wealthy princess?

Speaking of wealth, I have to admit that part of why I married him was because of the money I would receive as a Princess. I would be a hypocrite if I said it's not because of the money. My family was having financial problems lately, and I bravely decided that if I got married, maybe the royal family would help us. They did promise to help, but I can still feel that they didn't like me for it (except for the queen mother, who was very nice). I have no choice but to accept the engagement, even if I knew I was going to ruin his life by being his wife. It's not my fault why I got into this mess. But it was a blessing in disguise. I have helped my family in a way I never thought I would.

When people found out that my mom was the mother of the princess-to-be, right after I was married, a lot of people started to buy insurance plans from her. My mother made the record of having the most insurance memberships sold in their company, and thanks to that, she's now a member of the Millionaires' Club. She was able to pay for all our debts, and life had become better for my family.

Is it fun to be a princess? In a way, yes. People respect you more, you have a humungous amount of money in your bank account (and now I can buy the nice things I wanted to have before). I've got properties under my name, I get to attend the most glamorous parties in town, and of course, I got a closet full of beautiful clothes and shoes, the kind that I only saw in those expensive, glossy magazines. I got a free make-over too, and a weekly spa session. In short, I love it!

But in spite of this, I still feel a twinge of sadness from within. I miss my old life very badly. I cannot walk in the streets anymore without being recognized. I tried doing that the other day, and in a short while, people started to make a fuss over me, gushing at me and asking for my autograph! I handed out my signatures to them but I have to run as fast as I could so I could hide and get back to the palace without them knowing. Now my life is just limited to the palace, school, and back. I missed going to the mall, of eating out in a fast-food joint, of simply walking in the streets and enjoying a lazy moment by yourself. How I envy my girlfriends, and other girls my age. They have more opportunities to have fun and discover themselves while I'm now tied down to my husband and my royal responsibilities.

I thought that princesses don't have to do anything in their lives except to look pretty, but I was wrong. I have to do well in my academic studies and my princess studies at the same time, be on my guard, follow the rules in the palace, and act like a prim and proper princess. It's suffocating. Being married to a guy I barely knew made it worse. He's nice, even if he's annoying sometimes. We both know that up to now, we still didn't like each other. I feel like the evil witch in this story because I stole him from the girl he really loves. I know, she hated me for it, and I understand her. Maybe we'll get a divorce soon after I stayed for a long time here in the palace, and I kind of expect that from him.

But now, I don't think I would like to be separated from him. Why do I feel this way now? Why am I starting to like him, even though I'm not supposed to? I want to be a better friend and wife to him, but he doesn't acknowledge my efforts. I hate him a lot. But it seems as if the more I hate the more I fall in love with him. Aaaaarrrgggh!!! I remember my friend telling me this book about couples who were in an arranged marriage. In the end, they learned to love each other. I don't think it's bound to happen with us. I hope to get rid of my feelings before it's too late. It hurts to see him every day, knowing that he doesn't care for you, even just one bit. There's the other prince who's nicer to me. He always makes me smile and is a great friend, but I know that I shouldn't be too nice to him. I like him too, and I wish I was married to him instead.

Or even better, I wish I was never married. I was somebody else's daughter, and now I'm somebody else's wife. I want to be me in-between. I want to enjoy life, hang out with my friends, meet lots of boys, go to college, and go for my dreams. But now, all of these will never happen, because I have my fate planned out for me through circumstances I have no control of. It makes me feel sad, and I cry too. But I know I have no right to complain, because I chose this. And because I chose this life, I know I must stick with it and face the consequences responsibly, whether I like it or not. So I might as well be happy. Many girls are dying to be in my shoes, and it would be unfair for them if they heard me say that I hate my life as a princess. I guess this is all part of the package.

I don't know if my Prince Charming will learn to love me in the end. Will this story have a "happily ever after" ending? I don't know. But whatever happens, I'm determined to write a happy ending to my story.

-Fin-

**Thanks for reading! RR please! **


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